Sivas During the National Struggle

Sivas, one of the six eastern provinces called Vilayat-ı Sitte, remained as the hinterland during World War I, but suffered from the entire burden of the Caucasian Front. After the end of the World War I and the signing of the Armistice of Mudros, it became a center where national decisions were taken against the occupations of the Entente Powers in Anatolia and the imperialist policies implemented to put the Turkish nation into captivity. While the Ottoman Empire signed the Armistice of Mudros at the end of the World War I, the Entente Powers considered the six eastern provinces, including Sivas, as Armenian lands within the framework of the armistice and planned to give these provinces to Armenians. Sivas was also considered important for the Greeks in the Pontus imaginary point and protests increased in Sivas against this situation. With Mustafa Kemal Pasha’s landing in Samsun and the publication of the Amasya Circular, Sivas became an important city for the National Struggle. In the Amasya Circular, it was announced that a national congress would be convened in Sivas and after that the preparations for the congress began. After the Amasya Circular decisions, Mustafa Kemal Pasha went to Erzurum via Tokat, Sivas, Erzincan and first attended the Erzurum Congress. Afterwards, despite all attempts to prevent it, he returned to Sivas to attend the congress when the preparations for the Sivas Congress were completed. In the Sivas Congress, some changes were made on the decisions of the Erzurum Congress, where regional and national decisions were taken, and these were made valid for the whole country. The Anatolian national movement, which started in Samsun and Amasya and reached a certain stage in Erzurum, rallied in Sivas. After the Sivas Congress, Amasya talks were held between the Istanbul Government and the Anatolian National Movement. Afterwards, the Last Ottoman Parliamentary Assembly was opened in İstanbul. When Istanbul was occupied, the Turkish Grand National Assembly convened in Ankara and while the parliament was opening, deputies from Sivas were elected and sent. Although there were internal rebellions against the Ankara Government in Sivas during the National Struggle, they were suppressed. Apart from these, the military successes of the National Struggle had a serious repercussion in Sivas and many congratulatory and greeting telegrams were sent to the Assembly and also assistance was provided. This study was created with a re-evaluation based on other research works and memoirs together with the publications prepared in Sivas during the National Struggle period.

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